Central control system for a dictation device with plural dictators and plural recorders

ABSTRACT

A system for providing input electrical ;signals, for processing the electrical signals to provide digital information, and for recording the processed electrical signals so that they may be retrieved from the system and the information recorded digitally visually presented by the system. The system is particularly well adapted for use with a multiple station dictation system in which the digital information embodied in the processed electrical signals includes the station from which a particular piece of dictation originated and the identification of the person who dictated it, the recorder upon which the dictation was recorded, information relating to the chronological order in which the dictation has been completed, and the length of the dictation. The system further provides means for recording this information on the tape at the end of each piece of dictation and for storing this information in a central storage. The system further provides means for retrieving the stored electrical signals and means for displaying the digital information contained in the electrical signals visually to a supervisor. Additionally, the system provides means for adding further information relating to the importance of transcribing the dictation and the progress which has been made in transcribing the dictation.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 782,947, filed Mar. 30,1977, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the art of generating and processingelectrical signals containing digital information, and in particular tothe art of generating electrical signals related to the operation of adictation system and providing processed electrical signals containingdigital information concerning the present state of operation of thedictation system and other information required for the management ofdictation and transcription generated by a dictation system.

Modern dictation systems have become increasingly complex. Generally,such dictation systems include at least one central recorder. Access tothe various central recorders of the dictation system is no longerlimited to access by a single dictation station. Additionally, theability to transcribe dictation from the various central recorders isoften shared in modern systems by a number of differenttranscriptionists. Finally, in some modern systems the dictation isrecorded on individual recording members, such as cassettes, so that thedictation may be transcribed from the record members by a number oftranscriptionists, each having a playback apparatus, simultaneously andwithout the need for each transcriptionist to be connected to thecentral recorder itself. The problems created by the operation of suchsystems will be hereinafter described more fully.

Modern dictation systems generally include at least one central recorderto which a plurality of remote dictate stations are connected. Dictationsystems have evolved away from the systems in which each office had aseparate dictation recording machine on which dictation was to berecorded on a wire, a magnetic belt or a tape and then collected to betyped by a secretary having a machine for playing the recorded dictationback for transcription. The advantages of the central recorder includethe fact that it is more economical and efficient since it avoidsduplication of equipment and it provides a dictation capability to morepeople.

Many modern dictation systems include more than one central recorder.The use of more than one central recorder enables a greater number ofpersons to dictate at the same time. However, since there is more thanone recorder and each recorder is available to a number of people, theuse of a central recorder has the disadvantage of not permitting theidentification of the recorded material as that dictated by any specificindividual or dictate station. While this problem may not be acute insystems providing manual switching to connect to the dictate stations tothe central recorder and in which the number of dictate stations issmall, the problem becomes more serious in situations in which thenumber of dictate stations is great and in which the persons dictatinghave no control over which central recorder they are connected since theconnection is made automatically based on the availability of recorders.For example, in some of the older systems having more than one centralrecorder, the individual stations were manually switched to connect to aparticular recorder. This information, along with the relative order inwhich the dictation was recorded relative to other pieces of dictation,permitted a person charged with the task of transcribing the material tolocate it fairly quickly. However, as the number of dictate stations andcentral recorders increased, automatic switching to the first availablerecorder became a part of many dictation systems. Thus, in many modernsystems the location of a particular piece of dictation which has beendictated routinely was not possible unless it had been assigned apriority when recorded in those systems having a separate recorder forpriority dictation. An example of such a system is disclosed incopending applications Ser. No. 554,476, filed Mar. 3, 1975, now U.S.Pat. No. 4,024,354; and 753,359, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,075,436, 753,360,now U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,695 and 753,361, now abandoned all filed Dec.22, 1976 and all assigned to Lanier Electronic Laboratory, Inc.

Another important feature of modern dictation systems which has beendescribed above is the ability of the system to connect a number ofdifferent dictate stations, or indeed even ordinary public telephones,to the central recorders of the dictation system. Thus, severaldictation stations and all telephones will have access to each of thecentral recorders of the dictation system. This feature of moderndictation systems may be used in dictation systems having either theolder bin-type recorders or the newer cassette dictation recorders whichwill be described below. Because of the possibility that a number ofdifferent individuals using a number of different dictate stations andpublic telephones might have had access to a particular recorder, it isnot possible to identify the dictation of a particular individual byreference to the recorder on which the dictation has been recorded.Additionally, in most modern systems, not only will a large number ofindividuals have access to a particular recorder but each individualwill have access to a number of different recorders and will be assigneda particular recorder based upon the availability of recorders in thesystem. These features, while making dictation more efficient for theperson dictating and also permitting more efficient use of therecorders, precludes identification of the person who has dictated aparticular piece of dictation on a particular recorder, or in the caseof the cassette recorders to be described below, on a particularrecorder and a particular cassette. This inability to identify a pieceof dictation by reference to the person who has dictated it precludesassigning that dictation priority over other less important pieces ofdictation. This inability to assign priority to a particular piece ofdictation is a further example of the sacrifice in control andmanagement of the transcription operation which have been made in orderto make more efficient use of the recorders and to make the dictationsystem more accessible to the individuals dictating.

Another principal cause of management problems in the modern systemsdescribed above is the introduction of a plurality of record members,such as cassettes, which may each be used to record one or more piecesof dictation on a particular recorder. Such dictation systems includethe system disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 554,476, filedMar. 3, 1975; Ser. Nos. 753,359, 753,360 and 753,361 all filed Dec. 22,1976 and all assigned to Lanier Electronic Laboratory, Inc. Theadvantage in having more than one record member on each central recorderis derived primarily from the fact that the advantages in efficientutilization of dictation recording equipment are retained, but withoutsacrificing the ability to transcribe the dictation in an order otherthan the order in which they were recorded. Additionally, several piecesof dictation may be transcribed simultaneously by several differenttranscriptionists, each having a dictation playback machine. Thus, forexample, an important piece of dictation may be designated as a prioritypiece of dictation even though recorded by the same recorder that isordinarily and routinely used for all dictation, and still betranscribed before less important pieces of dictation. Thus, eliminatingthe necessity of a separate priority recorder.

It has also become known in the art to use small hand-held dictationrecorders which will record dictation on individual recording members,such as cassettes. The small hand-held dictation recorders allow theperson dictating a greater degree of mobility and permit that person touse otherwise idle time more efficiently. The recording members uponwhich dictation is recorded by the small hand-held dictation recordersmay be generally transcribed by a transcriptionist having atranscription playback machine compatible with the above-describedcassette recording system. Additionally, if the recording members usedin the hand-held dictation machine are smaller than ordinary cassettes,adapters are available for adapting the ordinary dictation playbackmachine to play back dictation recorded on a the smaller recordingmember.

While there are substantial advantages to be derived from the use ofseparate recording members, such as cassettes, to record dictation, theuse of individual recording members also creates additionalidentification and management problems. In the modern dictation systemshaving one or more cassette dictation recorders, each recording on aplurality of recording members with automatic switching as describedabove, the location and identification of particular pieces of dictationas being the dictation recorded on a particular recorder and aparticular recording member is a problem. The problem is furthercompounded by the fact that the recording members are transcribedremotely from the central recorder by a number of transcriptionists eachresponsible for transcribing dictation recorded on a number of differentmachines or a number of transcriptionists responsible for transcribingthe dictation recorded on a particular machine. Moreover, the recordingmembers are generally small in size and may be easily misplaced.Finally, the individual recording members are all similar in appearanceand the dictation cannot be identified in any way other than bylistening to the various cassettes. Another disadvantage of the cassettedictation recorders is in precisely determining the amount of dictationremaining to be transcribed. In the older bin-type systems the amount ofdictation yet to be transcribed could be ascertained by measuring theamount of recorded tape in the bin which had not yet been transcribed.In the modern systems, the amount of dictation remaining to betranscribed may be distributed on a large number of different cassettes,each containing a different amount of recorded tape. While a roughestimate might be based on the number of cassettes outstanding, aprecise determination cannot be so approximated. Thus, thestraightforward methods of ascertaining the amount of recorded yetuntranscribed tape used in the older systems are not applicable to thenewer systems.

As has been described above, the control and management of thetranscription operation in the dictation system is made more difficultby the existence of a number of different cassettes, each containing adifferent amount of recorded material, upon which the dictation isrecorded. A further feature of cassette dictation recording which hasbeen described above is that each transcriptionist is provided aseparate cassette playback machine from which to play back the recordeddictation for transcription. Thus, the use of cassettes to recorddictation enables a number of different transcriptionists tosimultaneously transcribe material which has been recorded on a singlerecorder. In fact, the number of transcriptionists transcribing thedictated material is unlimited in such a system. Thus, it will beappreciated that as the number of transcriptionists increases thecontrol and management problems associated with a transcriptionoperation will also increase.

In summary, while the advances in the art have greatly increased theefficiency of modern dictation systems, they have sacrificed thesimplicity which made dictation identifiable and the transcriptionoperation manageable. Thus, it is no longer possible to identify aparticular piece of dictation by reference to the recorder or thecassette upon which the dictation has been recorded. This inability toidentify dictation precludes the assignment of priority to importantpieces of dictation. Furthermore, it is no longer possible to ascertainthe amount of recorded yet untranscribed dictation remaining within thesystem or the progress which has been made in transcribing the dictatedmaterial simply by reference to the levels of recorded tape in thesystem. Finally, the fact that the dictation is recorded on a number ofdifferent cassettes means that the dictation may be lost or misplacedand also that it will be more difficult to identify and monitor theprogress of the particular transcriptionist who has been assigned thetask of transcribing the dictation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In solving the problems described above, it was found that the presentinvention was of greater general application than simply providing anapparatus for solving the problems related to dictation systems. Thus,it is the primary object of the present invention to provide anapparatus for providing digital electrical signals corresponding toproject identification information and for processing the digitalelectrical signals and storing the processed digital electrical signalsto provide an output which will provide information needed tocontinually track the progress being made toward completion of theprojects. In this manner, the present invention aids the control andmanagement of large operations involving the simultaneous input ofdiverse projects and the simultaneous performance of the tasks relatingto the projects and the completion of the projects.

In those embodiments limited to the solution of the problems describedin the Background of the Invention, the first object of the presentinvention is to provide an apparatus for identifying the individual whohas dictated a particular piece of dictation, the recorder upon whichthe dictation has been recorded, the cassette upon which the dictationhas been recorded, the time and sequence in which the dictation has beenrecorded and the length of the dictation which has been recorded. Aswill be more fully described below, the alternative embodiments of thepresent invention directed to dictation systems receive digitalelectrical signals embodying the aforesaid information relating to theidentification of the individual who has done the dictation, therecorder and the cassette upon which the dictation has been recorded,and the lengths of the recording on fresh recording tape which providethe total length of a particular piece of dictation. These digitalelectrical signals are processed within the apparatus in order tosequentially arrange the digital electrical signals in the order inwhich the dictation has been recorded and to add the time at which thedictation was recorded. The input electrical signals and the processedelectrical signals are then stored by the apparatus and made availablefor further rearrangement and supplementation as the particular piece ofdictation is assigned a priority and assigned to a particulartranscriptionist. The electrical signals are then further processed bythe apparatus to supplement the information by adding the designation ofthe transcriptionist who has been assigned the transcription of thedictation and the time at which the dictation has been assigned to thetranscriptionist. Finally, the apparatus provides for the furthersupplementation of the information when the transcription of thedictation has been completed. This further supplementation isaccomplished by the further processing of the digital electrical signalsby the apparatus to add the information that the transcription of thedictation has been completed and the time at which the transcription hasbeen completed. All of these digital electrical signals are stored andthe digital information is available for visual presentation by either avideo display to a supervisor or for print out by a printer.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatuswhereby electrical signals corresponding to the identification of theperson who has dictated a particular piece of dictation, the sequentialserial number assigned by the means for processing the input electricalsignals to the particular piece of dictation, the recorder and cassetteupon which the dictation has been recorded, and the total length of thedictation may all be recorded on the recording medium, such as tape, onwhich the dictation has been recorded along with and usually at the endof the piece of dictation. As will be more fully described below, therecording of this information along with the dictation enables theidentification of each cassette merely by playing back or reading aportion of the cassette. Thus, the identification of the dictationrecorded on the otherwise unmarked cassettes is made possible by merelyplaying back or reading a portion of the recorded tape at the end of therecorded dictation.

In summary, it will be seen that the present invention provides anapparatus for tracking the progress of a piece of dictation through thedictation system by reference to the person who has done the dictation,the sequence in which the dictation was recorded relative to otherdictation, the recorder and cassette upon which the dictation has beenrecorded, the total length of the dictation, the person to whom thedictation has been assigned for transcription, the time assigned fortranscription, and the time the transcription has been completed.Moreover, the present invention also provides an apparatus foridentifying the particular cassettes by reference to the person who hasrecorded the dictation on the cassette, the sequence in which thedictation was recorded relative to other dictation, the recorder and thecassette upon which the dictation was recorded, and the total length ofthe dictation. The identification of the cassettes along with theability to track the progress of dictation through the dictation systemalso permits the assignment of priority to important pieces ofdictation. These and other objects and advantages will be more apparentby reference to the following description of a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention and by reference to the attached drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus ofthe present invention directed toward use in a dictation systemincluding a plurality of dictate stations and a plurality of recorders,the lines between the elements the apparatus denote paths over whichdigital electrical signals flow containing digital control signals andinformation;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus ofthe present invention directed toward use in a dictation systemincluding a plurality of recorders and a plurality of telephoneinterface units, the lines between the elements of the apparatusdesignate paths over which digital electrical signals flow carryingdigital control signals and information;

FIG. 3A is a preferred embodiment of a first section of the switcher 21of the disclosed embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3B is a preferred embodiment of the portion of the preferredembodiments shown in both FIGS. 1 and 2 which provides the digitalcontrol signals and information to the multiplexer 23. In the preferredembodiment shown in FIG. 1, the circuit shown in FIG. 3B forms a part ofthe switcher 21. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 2, thecircuit shown in FIG. 3B is a part of in the telephone interfacemultiplexer 33.

FIG. 4 is a preferred embodiment of the telephone interface multiplexershown in FIG. 2 in which digital electrical signals are providedcontaining the identification number of the individual connected by thetelephone interface multiplexer to each particular recorder;

FIG. 5 is a preferred embodiment of that portion of the preferredembodiment of the recorders 22a, 22b, . . . 22m, 22n in which digitalelectrical signals are provided and stored corresponding to the totallength of dictation recorded on a particular recorder;

FIG. 6 is a diagram of a preferred embodiment of the parts of therecorders 22a, 22b, . . . 22m, 22n and the processor 24 wherein digitalserial numbers are assigned to each cassette on which dictation has beenrecorded;

FIG. 7 is a diagram of a first preferred embodiment of the masterstorage 25 and the portion of a first alternative embodiment of theprocessor 24 that provides digital control signals and information tothe master storage 25.

FIG. 8A is a pictorial representation of the apparatus in the recorders22a, 22b, . . . 22m, 22n for recording digital information identifying acassette on the tape following the end of dictation before the cassetteis ejected from the recorder 22a, 22b, . . . 22m, 22n;

FIG. 8B is a pictorial representation of the apparatus in the cassettereader 29 for playing back the cassette identification information fromthe tape in the cassette without the need to rewind the tape in thecassette;

FIG. 9 is a diagram of that portion of the first alternative embodimentof the processor 24 in which digital signals corresponding to the totallength of dictation, the recorder number, the dictator number, the timethe dictation was recorded, and the serial number of the dictation aregenerated and transferred to the individual recorder upon which thedictation has been dictated;

FIG. 10 is a diagram of the cassette reader 29;

FIG. 11 is a diagram of a preferred embodiment of the display circuit;

FIG. 12 is a functional flow diagram for a second alternative embodimentof the processor 24.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

As had been described above, the present invention provides advantagesnot limited to dictation systems. The invention is an apparatus wherebyinformation relating to a number of diverse projects may be entered asdigital electrical signals, and the digital electrical signals arranged,revised, and supplemented according to the identification of theprojects, their relative priority, their respective stages of completionand the persons to whom they have been assigned for completion. Thus,the present invention provides an apparatus for automaticallyorganizing, tracking and managing information related to a number ofdiverse projects being performed simultaneously.

The alternative illustrative embodiments of the present invention to bedisclosed herein are directed toward use of the invention in a dictationsystem. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that theembodiments disclosed may be applied in a variety of differentenvironments, not limited to the environment of a dictation system.Referring now to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment is shown in a blockdiagram which identifies the paths over which digital signals containingdigital information pass between the various elements of the dictationsystem in which the preferred embodiment is disclosed. The preferredembodiment is shown in connection with an ordinary dictation systemincluding a plurality of dictate stations 20a, 20b, . . . 20m, 20n,connected through an automatic channel selector (ACS) switching device21 to a plurality of central recorders 22a, 22b, . . . 22m, 22n. Thedictation system described above is connected to the processor 24 of thepreferred embodiment through a multiplexer 23. It must be emphasizedthat the lines drawn on FIG. 1 represent paths over which digitalsignals containing information flow. Therefore, even though dictatestations and recorders have been connected through switches in the priorart to form a dictation system, it will be understood by those skilledin the art from the further description of the preferred embodiment thatnew and useful digital signals are provided and flow over theseinformation paths.

With further reference to FIG. 1, it is shown that the processor 24 isconnected to a master storage 25 for the digital signals. Additionally,the processor may be connected to a video display 26, a printer 27, alabel printer 28 and a cassette reader 29. Further, digital signals maybe generated and entered into the processor through a keyboard includinga plurality of special function keys including, but not limited to, apriority key 30a, an assign-out key 30b, a work completed key 30c, anexternal entry key 30d, and a transcriber number key 30e.

As is shown in FIG. 2, the preferred embodiment of the present inventionmay also be used in conjunction with a dictation system connecting aplurality of central recorders 22a, 22b, . . . 22m, 22n, to a pluralityof ordinary telephones 31a, 31b, . . . 31m, 31n through a plurality oftelephone interface devices 32a, 32b, . . . 32m, 32n and a telephoneinterface multiplexer 33. While such dictation systems are known in theart, it must again be emphasized that the lines drawn on FIG. 2 arelines over which digital information flows and that the dictation systemshown in FIG. 2 and used in conjunction with the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention generates new and useful digital signals whichflow over the information paths shown in FIG. 2.

I. IDENTIFICATION OF SOURCE OF DICTATION AND RECORDER BY WHICH DICTATIONWAS RECORDED

A preferred embodiment of the apparatus whereby digital signals aregenerated identifying the dictate station to which a particular recorderon which dictation is being recorded is connected as shown in FIG. 3. Itwill be understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiment ofthe automatic channel selector (ACS) 21 disclosed in FIG. 3 isrepresentative of automatic channel selectors and that a variety ofdifferent automatic channel selectors may be modified in accordance withthe teachings of the present invention and connected in a circuit asshown in FIG. 3 to provide the desired information identifying thedictate station connected to a particular recorder. It will beunderstood by those skilled in the art that the ACS 21 provides anapparatus for operatively connecting a plurality of dictate stations20a, 20b, . . . 20m, 20n to a plurality of recorders 22a, 22b, . . .22m, 22n. The ACS 21 provides this operative connection through aplurality of switches W3a, W3b, . . . W3m, W3n. As will be more fullydescribed below, the switches W3a, W3b, . . . W3m, W3n are operativelyassociated with only one recorder per switch. Thus, the switch W3a isoperatively associated with the recorder 22a, the switch W3b isoperatively associated with the recorder 22b, the switch W3m isoperatively associated with the recorder 22m, and the switch W3n isoperatively associated with the recorder 22n. Each of the switches W3a,W3b, . . . W3m, W3n has the capability for operatively connecting therecorder with which it is associated with each of the dictate stations20a, 20b, . . . 20m, 20n in the dictation system. The function of theACS 21 is to operatively connect a dictate station 20a, 20b, . . . 20m,20n which has been placed in the off-hook condition to an availablerecorder for the recording of dictation. Additionally, in the preferredembodiment of the present invention the ACS 21 also provides digitalinformation identifying the dictate station and recorder upon which aparticular piece of dictation is being recorded. Both of these functionswill be hereinafter described.

The ACS 21 also includes a stepper switch W1 and a set of stepperswitches W2a, W2b, . . . W2m, W2n. The stepper switches W2a, W2b, . . .W2m, and W2n may be different levels of the stepper switches W3a, W3b, .. . W3m, and W3n since the switches W2a and W3a operate simultaneously,the switches W2b and W3b operate simultaneously, the switches W2m andW3m operate simultaneously and the switches W2n and W3n operatesimultaneously. Additionally, each of the switches W2a, W2b, . . . W2m,and W2n is operatively associated with only one of the recorders 22a,22b, . . . 22m, 22n and provides a means for connection between therecorder with which it is associated and all of the dictate stations20a, 20b, . . . 20m, and 20 n.

The function of stepper switch W1 is to poll the plurality of recorders22a, 22b, . . . 22m, 22n in order to find a recorder which is availablefor recording dictation. Similarly, the function of each of the stepperswitches W2a, W2b, . . . W2m, and W2n is to poll the dictate stations20a, 20b, . . . 20m, 20n in order to find a dictate station which isoff-hook and on which an individual desires to dictate. As will bedescribed more fully below, the simultaneous operation of the stepperswitches W1 and the appropriate stepper switch W2a, W2b, . . . W2m, orW2n combine to connect a dictate station on which an individual desiresto record dictation with a recorder which is available for recordingdictation.

As can be seen from FIG. 3A, the switch W1 is operatively connected toan stepper 220 which acts in response to a clock 219 to cause thestepper switch W1 to poll the various recorders for an availablerecorder. The stepper 220 will poll the recorders as long as a logicalone output is provided by AND gate 201. The inputs to AND gate 201 are aclock input and the input from the stepper switch W1. As shownrepresentatively by the detailed drawing of recorder 22a in FIG. 3A,each recorder 22a, 22b, . . . 22m, 22n is connected to the stepperswitch W1 through a switch 221 which is a part of each of the recorders22a, 22b, . . . 22m, 22n. When the recorder is not in use and isavailable for recording dictation the switch 221 will be closed andgrounded. Thus, when the stepper switch W1 connects with an availablerecorder, as evidenced by the closure of switch 221 and the grounding ofthe connection between the stepper switch W1 and the recorder, a groundor zero logical condition will be placed on one of the inputs to the ANDgate 201 thereby eliminating the output from the AND gate 201 to thestepper 220 and stopping the operation of the stepper switch W1 at theavailable recorder. It will now be understood that the stepper switch W1operates continuously to poll the various recorders until an availablerecorder is found. When an available recorder is found the operation ofthe stepper switch W1 is stopped and the available recorder found willbe the recorder connected through the appropriate W2 switch to the nextdictate station providing an off-hook condition indicating that anindividual wishes to dictate. As will be more fully described below, theensuing connection between the dictate station and the availablerecorder will cause the recorder to be seized and therefore unavailablethereby permitting the stepper switch W1 to again operate and to pollthe recorders until another available recorder is found. In this manner,the recorders are polled to continuously provide a recorder availablefor dictation whenever a dictate station is taken off-hook and dictationis desired to be recorded.

The switch W1 also has a second level switch W4. Thus, the switches W1and W4 are incremented simultaneously. The respective switch positionson the switches W1 and W4 are arranged such that when W1 is polling aparticular recorder, the switch W4 is positioned at an output to the ANDgate 204 which drives the W2 switch in the ACS21 which is associatedwith the polled recorder. As has been described above, the selection ofan available recorder causes the switch W1 to be ground or to be placedin a logical zero condition. The logical zero condition of the switch W1is provided to an inverter 202. The output of the inverter 202 isprovided to the switch W4 thereby providing a logical one output to theappropriate AND gate 204 and the switch W3a, W3b, . . . W3m or W3n withwhich the available recorder is associated. Thus, once a recorder hasbeen selected as being an available recorder by the switch W1, theswitch W4 provides an output which, as will be described below, causesthe switch W2a, W2b, . . . W2m or W2n with which the recorder isassociated to poll the various dictate stations in the dictations systemfor the presence of a dictate station which has been placed in theoff-hook condition and from which dictation is desired to be recorded.

The individual stepper switches W2 sequentially poll the dictatestations 20a, 20b, . . . 20m, 20n of the dictation system whenever asignal is provided to the appropriate stepper 228a, 228b, . . . 228m,228n. A signal is provided at the appropriate stepper 228a, 228b, . . .228m, 228n from the output of the respective AND gate 204a, 204b, . . .204m, 204n. The AND gates 204a, 204b, . . . 204m, 204n will provide anoutput in response to the simultaneous presence of: (1) a signal fromthe clock; (2) a signal at the position of the switch W4 to which theparticular switch W2a, W2b, . . . W2m or W2n is responsive and fromwhich the particular AND gates 204a, 204b, . . . 204m, or 204n areprovided an input indicating that the particular recorder 22a, 22b, . .. 22m, 22n with which the particular switche W2a, W2b, . . . W2m, or W2nis associated has been selected by the switch W1 and is available; and(3) a voltage or logical one signal from the respective switch W2a, W2b,. . . W2m, W2n to which the particular AND gate 204a, 204b, . . . 204m,or 204n provides an output.

Each of the dictate stations 20a, 20b, . . . 20m, 20n is provided with aswitch 226a, 226b, . . . 226m, 226n. When the dictate station is in theon-hook condition, the switch 226a, 226b, . . . 226m, 226n in thedictate station is in the open condition thereby placing a logical oneinput on the position of the switch W2a, W2b, . . . W2m, W2n from whichit is being polled. When the dictate station goes off-hook, the switch226a, 226b, . . . 226m, or 226n which is located in the dictate stationis closed thereby placing a logical zero on the line to the position ofthe switch W2a, W2b, . . . W2m, or W2n from which the dictate stationhas been polled. When the presence of an off-hook dictate station placesa logical zero at one of the positions of the switch W2a, W2b, . . .W2m, or W2n which is presently polling the dictate stations, the switchW2a, W2b, . . . W2m, or W2n stops when it reaches the position on theswitch which is connected to the grounded dictate station which has goneoff-hook. The switch W2a, W2b, . . . W2m, or W2n is stopped when itreaches the dictate station by the existence of the logical zerocondition at that position of the switch. The logical zero at theappropriate position on the switch provides a logical zero input to theAND gate 204a, 204b, . . . 204m, or 204n which is associated with thepolling switch W2a, W2b, . . . W2m, or W2n. The presence of a logicalzero input to the AND gate 204a, 204b, . . . 204m, or 204n causes therespective AND gate to provide a logical zero output to the respectivestepper coil 228a, 228b, . . . 228m, or 228n thereby stopping theoperation of the switch W2a, W2b, . . . W2m, or W2n which has beenpolling the dictate stations.

Each of the switches W2a, W2b, . . . W2m, W2n have a second level switchW3a, W3b, . . . W3m, W3n, respectively. As has been described above, theparticular recorders associated with the switch combinations W2a-W3a,W2b-W3b, . . . W2m-W3m, W2n-W3n may be operatively connected to thedictate stations 20a, 20b, . . . 20m, or 20n through the switches W3a,W3b, . . . W3m, W3n. One of the control signals conventionally suppliedby a dictation recorder is a signal indicating that the dictationrecorder has been seized by a dictate station. This signal is suppliedby the recorder through the appropriate W3 switch to the particulardictate station 20a, 20b, . . . 20m, 20n by which the recorder 22a, 22b,. . . 22m, or 22n has been seized. Additionally, these lines carry theaudio and control inputs from the dictate station to the variousrecorders.

Once a previously available recorder is seized, the switch 221 in therecorder is opened thereby placing a logical one condition at theposition at which the switch W1 had been stopped. The presence of thelogical one condition at the switch W1 provides an input to the AND gate201 thereby causing the switch W1 to again poll the various recorders insearch of an available recorder. Additionally, the seizure signal isprovided through the appropriate W3 switch to the dictate station 20a,20b, . . . 20m, 20n which has seized the recorder. Each of the dictatestations 20a, 20b, . . . 20m, 20n is provided with a second switch 225which is conventionally closed when the dictate station does not haveseizure of a recorder. However, upon the receipt of a seizure signalfrom a recorder a signal is provided to the relay coils 225 in theappropriate dictate stations 20a, 20b, . . . 20m, or 20n which causesthe switch 225 in the dictate station 20a, 20b, . . . 20m, or 20n whichhas seized the recorder to open. The opening of the switch 225 in thedictate station which has just seized the recorder places a logical onecondition on the output which that dictate station provides to theswitches W2a, W2b, . . . W2m, W2n. Thus, when the switch W1 selectsanother available recorder, the presence of the off-hook condition inthe dictate station 20a, 20b, . . . 20m, or 20n which has seized thepreviously available recorder will not continue to provide a logicalzero output and will not therefore stop the switch associated with thenext available recorder from continuously polling the other dictatestations for an off-hook dictate station which has not yet seized arecorder.

It will now be understood by those skilled in the art that the switcher(ACS) 21 provides an apparatus for operationally connecting the variousrecorders of the dictation system to the dictate stations of thedictation system. This function is achieved by sequentially polling therecorders until an available recorder is located. Once an availablerecorder is located, a separate switching combination in the switcherassociated with the available recorder then polls the dictate stationsfor the presence of a dictate station which is off-hook and has not yetseized a recorder. Once such a dictate station is found, the dictatestation is operationally connected to the previously available recorder.The switcher then selects another available recorder and, using theswitching combination associated with that recorder, polls the dictatestations for the presence of another dictate station which is off-hookand has not yet seized a recorder.

The apparatus whereby the switcher 21 provides the identification of thedictate station and the recorder upon which a particular piece ofdictation has been recorded is described below. As is shown in FIG. 3A,the switching combinations W2a-W3a, W2b-W3b, . . . W2m-W3m, W2n-W3n,which poll the various dictate stations are operative in response to theoutputs from the AND gates 204a, 204b, . . . 204m, 204n, respectively.The AND gates 204a, 204b, . . . 204m, 204n are each capable of causingthe dictate stations to be polled by periodically providing a logicalone output to the appropriate stepper which causes the switchcombination W2-W3 to move from one position to another. Additionally, atthe same time that an output is provided to the steppers 228a, 228b, . .. 228m, 228n, the AND gate 204a, 204b, . . . 204m, or 204n aresoproviding the same periodic output on lines 205a, 205b, . . . 205m,205n. Thus, it will be seen that each time the AND gate 204a, 204b, . .. 204m, 204n provides a pulse causing a different dictate station to bepolled, it also provides an output pulse on the output lines 205a, 205b,. . . 205m, 205n, respectively.

As is shown in FIG. 3A, the lines 205a, 205b, . . . 205m, 205n provideinputs to the counters 206a, 206b, . . . 206m, 206n causing therespective counters to which the inputs are provided to count the nexthighest number. The capacity of each counter 206 should correspond tothe number of positions on the switch combination W2-W3 which may beoperatively connected for the recording of dictation. In this manner, aseparate count on the counter 206 is provided for each possible positionof each of the switch combinations W2-W3. Therefore, when the availablerecorder is polling a dictate station through its switch combinationW2-W3, the counter will be incremented to a number which identifies thedictate station being polled. Moreover, when the dictate station isoff-hook and the switch combination W2-W3 which is associated with theavailable recorder is stopped, then the counter 206 which is incrementedonly when the switch W2-W3 changes position will also be stopped andwill remain stopped until the recorder again becomes the next availablerecorder for dictation and resumes the polling of dictate stations.

Each of the counters 206 associated with each of the various recordersprovides an input to a data selector 350. As will be more fullydescribed below, the input to the data selector 350 is provided from arecorder when a loss of seizure signal is received from one of therecorders or, even though seizure is not lost, when one of the recordersejects a full cassette. Depending upon the recorder from which the inputsignal is received, a different input is provided to the data selector350. This input causes the data selector 350 to output the countoccurring on the counter 206 corresponding to the recorder from whichthe input signal was received. The count on the counter 206corresponding to the recorder from which the input signal was receivedidentifies the dictate station which has been operatively connected tothat recorder.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that a dictationrecorder provides a distinct signal when the seizure of the recorder islost. As is shown in FIG. 3A, the presence of a loss of seizure signalfrom the recorder 22a provides a loss of seizure signal on the line210a. The recorder 22b provides a loss of seizure signal on the line210b. The recorder 22m provides a loss of seizure signal on the line210m and the recorder 22n provides a loss of seizure signal on the line210n. Additionally, it will be understood by those skilled in the artfrom a review of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 554,476,filed Mar. 3, 1975, assigned to Lanier Electronic Laboratory, Inc.,which is expressly incorporated by reference herein, that a cassettedictation recorder may also provide an output signal 209a, 209b, . . .209m, 209n when a cassette upon which dictation is being recorded isejected without loss of seizure of the dictation recorder. Such asituation might arise when the length of a particular piece of dictationis greater than the remaining storage capacity of the cassette on whichthe recording of the dictation was started and the cassette becomes fulland must therefore be changed before the dictation has been completed.As will be more fully described below, the identification of the dictatestation and recorder must be provided under the aforesaid circumstancesas well as loss of seizure. Therefore, the output 209a, 209b, . . .209m, and 209n is connected at an OR gate with the respective loss ofseizure outputs 210a, 210b, . . . 210m, and 210n at OR gates 208a, 208b,. . . 208m, and 208n, respectively to provide an output when any of therecorders 22a, 22b, . . . 22m, and 22n either loose seizure or eject acassette without loss of seizure. Thus, when recorder 22a either loosesseizure or ejects a cassette without loss of seizure an output from ORgate 208a provides an output on line 207a; when recorder 22b eitherlooses seizure or ejects a cassette without loss of seizure an outputfrom OR gate 208b provides an output on line 207b; when recorder 22meither looses seizure or ejects a cassette without loss of seizure ORgate 208m provides an output on line 207m; and when recorder 22n eitherlooses seizure or ejects a cassette without loss of seizure OR gate 208nprovides an output on line 207n.

As is shown in FIG. 3B, the lines 207a, 207b, . . . 207m, 207n providean input to an OR gate 352 and an encoder 351. The output from the ORgate 352 will be used to assign a serial number and to enable certainoperations of the processor 24 as will be more fully described below.The inputs 207a, 207b, . . . 207m, 207n to the encoder 351 are encodedinto binary outputs. Each of the different recorder input signals 207a,207b, . . . 207m, 207n will cause a different binary output from theencoder 351. In this manner, the recorder from which the input signal207a, 207b, . . . 207m, 207n is received may be identified according tothe binary output of the encoder 351. Furthermore, as has been describedabove, the identity of the recorder from which the input signal 207a,207b, . . . 207m, 207n has been received will cause the data selector350 to provide an output identifying the dictation station with whichthe recorder was connected. Additionally, the output of the encoder 351is provided to the processor 24 and to the apparatus for recording theinformation relating to a piece of dictation on the recording tape atthe end of the dictation as will be more fully described below. It willnow be understood that the automatic channel selector as has beendisclosed enables the sequential polling of the recorders of thedictation system for an available recorder, and the polling of thedictate stations of the dictation system to detect an off-hook conditionindicating that an individual desires to dictate at a particular polleddictate station. It will be further understood that upon thesimultaneous occurrence of an available recorder and the polling of adictate station in the off-hook condition, the automatic channelselector will operatively connect the available recorder to the dictatestation.

Alternatively, an embodiment of the present invention may be used inconnection with a dictation system in which ordinary telephones areconnected to recorders by means of a telephone interface. Referring nowto FIG. 2, it will be seen that a plurality of telephones 31a, 31b, . .. 31m, 31n may be interchangeably connected through ordinary telephoneswitching equipment to a telephone interface 32a, 32b, . . . 32m, 32nassociated with the apparatus of the dictation system. These telephoneinterfaces are each connected to a recorder 22a, 22b, . . . 22m, 22n.The automatic switching and polling function is provided by theconventional telephone company telephone interface which connects acaller wishing to record dictation with the first available recorderthrough the appropriate telephone interface 32a, 32b, . . . 32m, 32n.The digital information identifying the caller and the digitalinformation are added at the telephone interface 32a, 32b, . . . 32m,32n, as described below. Additionally, the necessary digital informationrelating to the identity of the individual dictating on a particularrecorder is provided to the processor 24 through the telephone interfacemultiplexer 33.

The telephone interfaces 32a, 32b, . . . 32m, 32n are modified toprovide the identification information in the first predetermined numberof signals from the telephone. Thus, the recorder will not be capable ofbeing operated from the telephone signals until an identification numberhas been entered. Thereafter, the telephone signals will provide signalsto the recorder to control the recorder and place it in theforward-listen, reverse, or record modes of operation.

Representative of the telephone interfaces is the detailed view oftelephone interface 32a shown in FIG. 4. The telephone signals fromeither a Touch Tone brand telephone or a dial type telephone arereceived at the telephone interface 32 by the Touch Tone or dial decoder425a. The decoder 425a converts the signals to digital signals forfurther processing and provides the digital signals to the OR gate 426a,the inputs of a binary encoder 429a and the inputs of the controlencoder 431a.

The digital signals which are received at the control encoder 431aprovide the appropriate inputs to the recorder to control the functionsof the recorder. However, the control signals to the recorder are onlyprovided after the control encoder 431a has been provided an enablesignal from the latch 428a. As will be described below, the latch 428awill not provide an enable signal until an identification number hasbeen entered at the telephone by the person wishing to dictate.

As the initial signals from the decoder 425 are provided to the OR gate426a, the OR gate 426a provides a clock input to the counter 427a. Thecounter 427a will count from its starting position, usually zero, to apredetermined number at which an output will be provided to set thelatch 428a. When the latch 428a is set by the counting of the firstpredetermined number of signals from the decoder 425a, a latch conditionprovides an enable output to the control decoder 431a. Thereafter, thecontrol decoder 431a will be enabled and will process subsequent signalsfrom the telephone decoder to provide control outputs to the recorder tocause it to be in the forward-listen, reverse or record modes ofoperation.

As has been described above in connection with the structure andoperation of the preferred embodiment of the ACS 21, a logical one isplaced on the line 210a when seizure of the recorder is lost. Thelogical one on line 210a will provide a logical one to reset the counter427a and the latch 428a. The counter 427a and the latch 428a will thenbe in a condition so that when the next caller attempts to seize therecorder through the telephone interface 32a the identification numberof the individual dictating will have to be entered before the telephonecontrol inputs will be provided to the recorder.

As has been described above, the output from the Touch Tone or dialdecoder 425a provides a digital input to a binary encoder 429. Thebinary encoder 429 takes the decimal input from the Touch Tone brand ordial decoder 425a and encodes it into binary digital signals. The outputfrom the binary encoder 429 provides the input for a multiple bit latch430. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, a multiple bitlatch provides as a continuous output of the input which was present atthe time the multiple bit latch was clocked. The clock input for themultiple bit latch 430 is provided by the output of the RS latch 428a.As has been described above, the RS latch 428a is set only after theidentification number of the person wishing to dictate has been enteredthrough the Touch Tone or dial decoder 425a. Thus, the binary encoder429a will have provided all of the digital information necessary toidentify the person wishing to dictate before it clocks the multiple bitlatch 430a.

In the alternative embodiment of the present invention in which thedictation is provided from one of a plurality of telephone interfaces,the multiplexing operation shown in FIG. 3B is performed by a telephonemultiplexer 33. The telephone multiplexer 33 is substantially the sameapparatus as that shown in FIG. 3B and operates in substantially thesame manner. Each of the telephone interfaces 32a, 32b, . . . 32m, 32nprovide a digital signal identifying the person by whom the dictationwas recorded as well as the recorder upon which dictation was recordedto the telephone interface 33. The outputs from the multiple bit latches430a, 430b, . . . 430m, 430n provide digital inputs to the data selector350. Additionally, at either loss of seizure or substitution of a fullcassette without loss of seizure, the input signals 207a, 207b, . . .207m, 207n provide the appropriate input to the encoder 351 and the ORgate 352 in the telephone multiplexer 33. As has been described above,the encoder 351 provides a digital signal which identifies the recorderwhich has ejected a cassette without loss of seizure or upon whichseizure has been lost and the dictation finished. The output from theencoder 351 provides an input to the data selector 350 causing it tooutput the digital information relating to the dictation recorded on therecorder from which the input signal 207a, 207b, . . . 207m, 207noriginated. The information provided by the data selector 350 is thesame digital information which was initially provided to the dataselector by the multiple bit latch 430a and is therefore theidentification number of the person recording the dictation which wasentered by that person before dictation could be recorded on therecorder.

Thus, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that thealternative embodiment of the present invention described above providesan apparatus for entering information identifying the person who hasrecorded dictation on a particular recorder and cassette. It will befurther understood that the digital information relating to the recorderupon which the dictation has been recorded is automatically provided bythe system and only the identification number of the dictator need beentered manually. Moreover, the manually-entered identificationinformation is converted within the apparatus to digital information andis provided at the ejection of a cassette or the end of dictation alongwith the automatically generated recorder number.

II. PROVIDING INFORMATION ON LENGTH OF DICTATION, TIME DICTATION ISFINISHED, AND A SERIAL NUMBER TO IDENTIFY THE DICTATION

In addition to generating digital electrical signals identifying thedictate station or the individual dictating and the recorder upon whichthe dictation is being recorded, the preferred embodiment also providesan apparatus for generating digital electrical signals indicating thelength of each piece of dictation recorded. As is shown in FIG. 5, eachrecorder 22a, 22b, . . . 22m, 22n contains a means for generating asignal when the recorder is recording on tape which has previously notbeen recorded. The means for providing such signals are known in the artand are particularly disclosed in connection with the recorder of U.S.patent applications Ser. No. 554,476, filed Mar. 3, 1975; Ser. Nos.753,359, 753,360, and 753,361, all filed Dec. 22, 1976, and all assignedto Lanier Electronic Laboratory, Inc., which is incorporated herein byreference. Since the recorder will only generate such a signal when therecording is on tape which has been previously not been recorded on, nosignals are generated when a person dictating reverses the tape andrecords over a length of previously recorded dictation. The signalresumes only after the person dictating records past the point at whichthe dictation previously ended and continues to dictate on unrecordedtape. Thus, an indication of the actual amount of recorded tape isprovided.

In addition to a means for generating signals when a recorder, forexample, recorder 22n, is recording on tape on which dictation has notpreviously been recorded, the recorder also has a clock input 302. Theinput from the means for identifying when the recorder is recording onunrecorded tape 301 is fed to an AND gate 303n along with the input fromthe clock input 302. The clock input 302 provides a pulse atpredetermined intervals, for example, at one second intervals. Theoutput from the AND gate 303n provides the input to a counter 304n andcauses the counter 304n to count the seconds of dictation recorded byrecorder 22n on tape which has previously not been recorded. The counter304n is reset when a loss of seizure signal 210n is provided through thetime delay 305n. Thus, whenever seizure is lost the time delay 305n willprovide a reset signal to the counter 304n after a delay in timesufficient to allow the digital output of the counter to be stored inthe master storage 25, as will be more fully described below.

In normal operation, the counter 304n will count the number of secondsof dictation recorded on previously unrecorded tape. This count will bekept throughout the period during which the recorder is seized by theparticular dictate station. As will be more fully described below, whenseizure is lost the digital electrical signals corresponding to thelength of dictation on previously unrecorded tape will be providedthrough the processor 24 to the master storge 25. At that time thecounter will be reset in order to count the length of subsequent piecesof dictation.

In addition to providing digital electrical signals identifying thedictate station or the person dictating, the recorder upon whichdictation is being recorded, and the length of dictation, the real timethe dictation is ended will also be recorded. As will be more fullydescribed below in connection with FIGS. 7 and 12, the real time clock31 provides an input to the processor 24. The first alternativeembodiment of the processor 24 includes a multiple bit latch 606 towhich the real time clock 31 provides a data input. The multiple bitlatch 606 is set by the signal from any one of lines 207a, 207b, . . .207m, 207n thereby providing the time that seizure was lost or acassette was ejected without loss of seizure as an output from themultiple bit latch 606. The conventional microprocessor of the secondalternative embodiment of the processor 24 is programmed to also storethe real time of loss of seizure.

As has been described above, the recorders 22a, 22b, . . . 22m, 22nprovide digital signals identifying the person dictating or the dictatestation in use, the recorder on which the dictation is being recorded,the length of the dictation, and the time the dictation was completed.Additionally, a serial number is assigned to either each piece ofdictation or to each cassette upon which dictation is recorded. In theembodiment described herein, the dictation system is a cassettedictation system such as that disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser.No. 554,476, filed Mar. 3, 1975, and U.S. patent applications Ser. Nos.753,359; 753,360, and 753,361, filed Dec. 22, 1976, all assigned toLanier Electronic Laboratory, Inc. Therefore, the preferred embodimentwill show an apparatus for assigning a serial number to each cassetteupon which dictation is recorded unless a particular piece of dictationis carried over from one cassette to another in which case thesubsequent cassettes on which the dictation is recorded will also beassigned the same serial number assigned to the first cassette on whichthe particular piece of dictation begins. However, it will be understoodthat the apparatus for assigning a serial number to a particularcassette hereinafter described may also be used to assign a serialnumber to each piece of dictation in a dictation system using acontinuous loop recorder.

As has been described above and as is shown in FIG. 6, the loss ofseizure of a recorder or the ejection of a cassette without loss ofseizure places a logical one condition on line 207n in the recorder onwhich the dictation is being recorded. The one condition on line 207n isprovided to set a latch 500n in the recorder on which dictation is beingrecorded. This set condition on the latch 500n triggers the monostabledevice 508n and provides an output to OR gate 501 in the processor 24.The OR gate 501 then provides a signal to the counter 516 in theprocessor 24 and the counter 516 provides the serial number.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art from a study of thecassette dictation recorder disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser.No. 554,476, filed Mar. 3, 1975, assigned to Lanier ElectronicLaboratory, Inc., which is incorporated by reference herein, thatcassette substitution may occur under a variety of conditions. A firstcondition which has been described above and which provides a signal online 209n and therefore line 207n is cassette substitution when only apredetermined length of tape remains on a cassette for recording.Substitution under these circumstances occurs during the recording ofdictation and does not loose seizure of the recorder during cassettesubstitution. Alternatively, substitution may occur at the end of therecording of a piece of dictation after the dictate station has lostseizure of the recorder. The substitution after loss of seizure occursin response to a second condition in the cassette dictation recorderwhich is present after a predetermined number of separate pieces ofdictation have been recorded on a particular cassette. In thedescription of the preferred embodiment of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 554,476, the second condition is referred to as the "priority"condition which causes cassette substitution at loss of seizure aftereach piece of dictation; however, it will be understood that this secondcondition may also be provided by the output of a counter or the likewhich provides the second condition only after a predetermined number ofsuch losses of seizure. The second condition described above provides alogical one output on line 505n shown in FIG. 6.

In the preferred embodiment of a cassette dictation system, all ofpieces of dictation recorded on a particular cassette are assigned thesame serial number and cassettes on which dictation is carried over froma first cassette have the same serial numbers as the first cassette.Therefore, it is not desired to assign a serial number to each piece ofdictation when an input signal on line 207n indicates that the dictationhas ended. Similarly, where an input signal on line 207n indicates thata cassette has been ejected without loss of seizure the subsequentcassettes on which the piece of dictation is continued are assigned thesame serial number as the cassette on which the recording of thedictation was started and are not assigned a new serial number. Theseobjects are achieved by not resetting the latch 500n to provide anothersignal to the monostable device 508n and therefore a new serial numberuntil a logical one signal on line 505n is provided indicating that therecorder upon which the dictation is being recorded has ejected acassette at the end of a piece of dictation in response to the secondcondition described above and is substituting a new cassette which willrequire a new serial number. Additionally, each recorder is providedwith a counter 503n which counts in response to the loss of seizuresignal on line 210n. The purpose of the counter 503n is to count theunits of dictation which have been recorded on particular cassette andto provide an output signal indicating whether a particular piece ofdictation is the first, second, third, or nth piece of dictationrecorded on a particular cassette. The counter 503n counts each time aloss of seizure signal occurs on line 210n. The counter 503n is thenreset whenever a logical one condition appears on line 505n indicatingthat the previous cassette has been ejected at the end of a piece ofdictation and a new cassette is being substituted. The count from thecounter 503n is combined with the serial number to provide an address inthe master storage 25 for all information related to a particular pieceof dictation.

The counter 516 in the processor 24 also provides the serial number to amultiple bit latch 512n in the recorder n from which the signal whichgenerated the serial number originated. The multiple bit latch 512n isenabled to store the serial number whenever an output is provided fromthe trigger 508n generating a new serial number. However, a short timedelay 509n is provided in order to permit all of the digital informationfrom the counter 516 to be provided to the inputs to the multiple bitlatch 512n before the multiple bit latch 512n is enabled to store thedata at its inputs.

The serial number temporarily stored in the multiple bit latch 512n willbe available to be stored in the main storage 25 along with the otherinformation provided in connection with each subsequent piece ofdictation.

It should be noted that a serial number may also be generated by anexternal entry from the keyboard 30 and specifically the external entrykey 30d. Thus, a signal generated by closing key 30d provides a logicalone input to the OR gate 501 and causes the counter 516 to generate aserial number. The serial number from the counter 516 is combined withan "o" unit of dictation count to provide an address for the informationrelated to the externally entered project in the master storage 25. Aswill be more fully described below, this serial number is generallyrelated to project information manually entered into the apparatusthrough the keyboard and is provided directly to the master storage 25.

It will now be understood by those skilled in the art that the preferredembodiment is an apparatus which is capable of generating digitalelectrical signals identifying the person dictating or the dictatestation in use, the recorder upon which dictation is being recorded, thelength of the dictation, the time the dictation is completed, and aserial number identifying either the piece of dictation or the cassetteupon which the dictation is recorded. As will be more fully describedbelow, the digital information is stored in the master storage 25whenever the particular recorder 22a, 22b, . . . 22m, 22n, to which thedigital information pertains provides a loss of seizure signal.

III. AUTOMATIC PROCESSING AND STORAGE OF PROJECT INFORMATION

The automatic processing and storage of project information may beachieved by a first alternative embodiment using a circuit comprisingdigital hardware or by a second alternative embodiment using aprogrammed microprocessor. It will be understood that the followingalternative embodiments are merely illustrative and that the functionalequivalents of the processor 24 may include other digital devices,including digital hardware, firmware, or software, which are capable ofperforming the described functions in a central control system.

Each of the recorders 22a, 22b, . . . 22m, 22n are capable of providinga signal indicating the loss of seizure of the recorder and signalindicating ejection of a cassette without loss of seizure. These signalsare placed on one of a plurality of lines 207a, 207b, . . . 207m, 207n,indicated representatively as line 207n in FIG. 7, and provided to a ORgate 601 in the first alternative embodiment. The output of the OR gate601 provides an enable input to the master storage 25a. Additionally, aswill be further described below, the OR gate 601 has inputs which areprovided by the operation of the priority key 30a, and the externalentry key 30d of the keyboard 30; and an input from the direct memoryaccess 1204, all to be more fully described below.

The master storage 25a remains in the write mode of operation whenenabled unless the OR gate 675 provides a logical one to the read/writeinput of the master storage 25a. The OR gate 675 is only responsive toprovide said logical one signals in response to signals which causemaster storage 25a to read the stored information into another priorityaddress during the priority operation, or to read the information into avideo processor. Therefore, upon the receipt of a signal from OR gate601, the master storage 25a is enabled to write the address and datainformation provided from the particular recorder upon which seizure hasbeen lost.

The address information includes the serial number and units ofdictation count assigned to the piece of dictation, as described above,to which a constant P is added by the constant adder 604. From theconstant adder 604, the address is then provided to a data selector 683and, unless the master storage 25a is in the process of assigning thedata a new priority address, the data selector 683 provides the serialnumber and unit of dictation count plus the constant P as the address tothe master storage 25a. Additionally, the serial number and unit ofdictation count are sufficient to provide an address in the masterstorages 25a, 25b, 25c and 25d upon which the additional data relatingto a particular piece of dictation will be stored as will be more fullydescribed below.

As has been described above, the identification of the individualdictating or the dictate station as well as the recorder upon whichdictation has been recorded provide outputs from the data selector 350and the encoder 351 upon the loss of seizure or substitution of acassette without loss of seizure by one of the recorders 22a, 22b, . . .22m, 22n. The outputs from the data selector 350 and encoder 351 areprovided to the appropriate data or information inputs to the masterstorage 25a. Additionally, in the case where the information is providedthrough an external entry 30d, the dictate station identification andrecorder number may be entered manually from the keyboard inputs 30g and30h. As will be described more fully below, the data entered as thedictate station identification may still identify the person whooriginates the project and the data entered as the recorder number mayindicate the form of the project, for example, transcription ofhandwritten material.

Additionally, the length of the dictation on previously unrecorded tapehas been counted by a counter in each recorder, representatively shownas counter 304n in FIG. 5. The counter 304n provides a data input to themaster storage 25a and, upon the enabling of the master storage 25a, iswritten into the master storage. As has been described above, thecounter 304n is reset at loss of seizure of the recorder in order tocount the length of each piece of dictation recorded on the cassette ortape. As will also be described more fully below, the approximate lengthof a project may also be entered from the keyboard at data input 30j.

The real time clock 31 provides an input to the master storage 25a whenthe master storage 25a is enabled by the input signal 207n. The realtime of loss of seizure or cassette substitution without loss of seizureis therefore also written into the master storage 25a. Similarly, thereal time an external entry is entered is also written into the masterstorage 25a when it is enabled.

Additionally, the serial number and unit of dictation count is alsoprovided as a data input to the master storage 25. Thus, the serialnumber and unit of dictation count not only provide a part of theaddress in the master storage 25a for the information, but also arestored as information which, as will be described more fully, may bepresented visually on a video display or printed from the master storage25a. As will be more fully described below, the serial number and unitof dictation count will also be necessary for the external entry orsupplementation of information in the master storages 25b, 25c, and 25drelating to the cassette.

It will now be understood that the master storage 25a is enabled by theloss of seizure or the substitution of a cassette without loss ofseizure by a particular recorder upon which dictation has been recorded.Upon enablement, the master storage 25a stores the serial number andunit of dictation count assigned to the dictation, the identificationnumber of the person dictating or the dictate station, the number of therecorder upon which the dictation has been recorded, the length ofdictation, and the time that the recording of the dictation wasfinished. All of this information is stored as digital signals in themaster storage 25a at an address designated to be the serial number andunit of dictation count plus a constant.

As will be more fully described in the operation of the presentapparatus, the first and second alternative embodiment of the presentinvention provide an apparatus for tracking the progress which has beenmade in the completion of the projects identified and stored in themaster storage 25. Additionally, it provides an apparatus forrearranging the projects in the master storage 25 according to thepriority assigned their completion. These projects are the pieces ofdictation which have been recorded on the recorders to which the masterstorage is attached, or projects which have been entered manuallythrough the keyboard 30.

Referring now to the first alternative embodiment, the progress of eachof the projects will be tracked in the master storages 25b, 25c, and 25dand the information in the master storages 25b, 25c, and 25d may berevised according to the progress which is being made in completing theproject. One such entry is the entry of the identification numberrelating to the person to whom the project has been assigned forcompletion. This number, identified in the dictation system as thetranscriptionist number, is entered into the master storage 25b alongwith the time the transcriptionist is initially assigned a project.

The transcriptionist number is entered into the master storage 25b byproviding an input at the keyboard at the input 30e. The input 30e maybe generated as digital information in the conventional manner eitherthrough a keyboard or through thumb wheel switches. First, the serialnumber and the unit of dictation count of the dictation to be assignedthe transcriptionist is entered at the input 30f. The digital signalcarrying the serial number and unit of dictation count provides an inputfrom the keyboard to provide the address in the master storage 25b wherethe information relating to the cassette to be assigned is to be stored.As will become more apparent, the constant P need not be added toprovide the address of the data in the master storage 25b since theinformation stored in the storage 25b is not moved to a priorityaddress.

The identification number assigned to the transcriptionist is enterednext. A direct data input 30e from the keyboard to the master storage25b is provided. Additionally, the real time clock 31 also provides aninput to the master storage 25b.

Thirdly, the assign out key 30b is operated. The operation of the assignout key 30b causes the data selector 678 to substitute the constant 679for the constant 697 to replace the blank status input with an "A"status input which is a status input for the master storage 25d toidentify the assigned out status of the project. The constantcorresponding to the "A" assigned out status symbol is thereby providedto the master storage 25d at the address set by the operation of theserial number and unit of dictation count input 30f. The master storage25d is also enabled to write the constant into the storage by the outputof the OR gate 696 in response to the input from the operation of theassign out key 30b. The operation of the assign out key 30b alsoprovides an input to the OR gate 605 which in turn enables the masterstorage 25b to write the transcriptionist identification number and thereal time assigned out at the appropriate address at which theinformation related to the assigned dictation is intended to be stored.

Once the transcription of the dictation recorded on the cassette iscompleted, the information stored in the master storages 25a and 25b maybe supplemented to reflect its completion. The serial number of thecassette and unit of dictation count of the dictation transcribed isentered on the keyboard in the same manner as the serial number and unitof dictation count were entered when the cassette was assigned out, ashas been described above. The real time clock 31 also provides an inputto the master storage 25c. The complete key 30c is then operated. Thecomplete key 30c provides an input to the data selector 678 which causesthe data selector 678 to provide a constant 681 corresponding to theletter "C", for "completed" at the data input to the master storage 25d.The serial number and unit of dictation count entry at 30f also providesan address input to the master storage 25d. The operation of thecomplete key 30d also provides an input to the OR gate 606 whichprovides an enable input to the master storage 25d to enable the "C"status symbol to be written into the master storage 25d at theappropriate address thereby replacing the previously entered "A" statussymbol. Finally, the operation of the complete key 30c provides an inputto the OR gate 607 providing an enable input to the master storage 25cthereby enabling the real time the project was completed to be writteninto the master storage 25c at the address at which the informationrelated to the completed project is stored.

It will now be understood by those skilled in the art that theinformation stored in the master storage 25a may be supplemented in themaster storages 25b, c, and d by additional information relating to theprogress being made toward the completion of the projects identified inthe master storage 25a. In the context of the dictation system of thepreferred embodiment, this information includes the status of theproject, the identification number of the person to whom the dictationhas been assigned for transcription, and the real time at which thedictation was assigned to the transcriptionist and completed by thetranscriptionist. As will be more fully described below, all of thisinformation will be available for visual display or printing from themaster storage 25.

In addition to supplementing the digital information stored in themaster storage 25a, those items which are of such importance that theircompletion takes precedence over other projects which have been storedin the master storage 25a earlier may be assigned priority. In assigninga project priority, the project information is duplicated at a priorityaddress in the master storage 25a so that it will be displayed on theCRT ahead of all non-priority projects. Additionally, a status symbol"P" will be entered into the master storage 25d at the originalnon-priority address along with the other digital information relatingto the project.

Priority is assigned to a project by first entering the serial numberand unit of dictation count of the project from the keyboard input 30f.The serial number and unit of dictation count are then provided to theconstant adder 604 where the constant "P" is added to the serial numberto give the address of the project and through a data selector 683 tothe address input of the master storage 25a. The "priority" key 30a isthen operated. Initially, the operation of the priority key provides aninput to the data selector 678 which in turn provides a digital signalfrom the constant 684 corresponding to a "P" status symbol. The masterstorage 25d is then enabled to read the status input from the dataselector 678 into the storage by an input from the priority key 30athrough the OR gate 606 to the enable input of the master storage 25d.

Once the status information is stored in the master storage 25d alongwith the other information relating to the project, the master storage25a is enabled to read the information at the address relating to theproject to which priority has been assigned into a multiple bit latch686. This is done by placing the master storage 25a in the "read" modeof operation by the input from the priority key 30a through a timer 689and thence through the OR gate 675 to the read/write input of the masterstorage 25a. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that whenthe OR gate 675 provides a logical one input to the read/write input ofthe master storage 25a, the master storage 25a will provide a dataoutput when enabled; conversely, when a logical zero is present at theread/write input, the master storage 25a will store input data whenenabled. Moreover, the presence of the timer 689 limits the periodduring which the master storage 25a will be in the read mode ofoperation to the period of time required to transfer the data from themaster storage 25a to the multiple bit latch 686 as will be describedbelow.

At the same time that the operation of the priority key 30a causes themaster storage 25a to be in the read mode of operation, the priority key30a also provides clock input to the multiple bit latch 686 to enable itto read the data provided from the master storage 25a. Typically, themultiple bit latch 686 will have only enough storage capacity toaccommodate the digital signals relaed to the information stored aboutone project in the master storage 25a. Therefore, an address to thetemporary storage 686 is unnecessary.

Once the data related to a particular project is stored in the multiplebit latch 686, a priority address in the master storage 25a is chosenand the data is written from the multiple bit latch 686 back into masterstorage 25a at the priority address. The priority address is chosen bythe operation of a priority address counter 687 which counts in responseto the operation of the priority key 30a. Thus, each priority address ischosen sequentially in the order the project is assigned priority by theoperation of the priority key 30a.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art from the earlierdescription of the assignment of addresses in the master storage 25athat the first "P" addresses in the master storage 25a will have beenleft open for the entry of later priority projects. This has beenaccomplished by incrementing the serial number and unit of dictationcount assigned each project by the constant number "P" at the constantadder 604 to provide the address to be assigned each ordinary project inthe master storage. Therefore, none of the ordinary projects will havebeen entered into the master storage 25 at an address less than "P+1."

A priority address is assigned each priority projected. The operation ofthe priority key 30a causes the priority address counter 687 to count tothe next available priority address and provide that priority address tothe data selector 683.

After a delay sufficient to have allowed the project data to betemporarily stored in the multiple bit latch 686, the delay 688 providesan output to the data selector 683 in response to the initial operationof the priority key 30a. The output of the delay 688 is provided to thedata selector 683 to cause the data selector to select the priorityaddress from the priority address counter 687 as the address which isprovided at the address input of the master storage 25a. By the timethat the delay 688 provides an output, the timer 689 will have ceasedproviding an output causing the master storage 25a to be in the "read"mode of operation and therefore when next enabled, it will be enabled to"write" the information at the data inputs of the master storage 25ainto the master storage 25a at the priority address.

Finally, the delay 688 provides an enable input through the OR gate 601to the master storage 25a. Thus, the master storage 25a is enabled towrite the information temporarily stored in the multiple bit latch 686back in at the priority address. As will be more fully described below,the data relating to the priority project will now be available fordisplay on the video display 26 at a position above all of the projectsover which it has been assigned priority.

As has been described above, the first alternative embodiment describedabove will achieve the objects and advantages of the present invention;however, a second alternative embodiment of the central control systemmay also provide the objects and advantages of the present invention. Inthe second alternative embodiment, the processor 24 is a conventionalmicroprocessor programmed according to the flow diagram shown in FIG.12. The apparatus for providing the identification of the persondictating, the identification of the recorder by which the dictation wasrecorded, the length of dictation, the serial number assigned thedictation and the time the dictation was completed are all the same inboth the first and second alternative embodiments of the presentinvention.

Additionally, the second alternative embodiment of the present inventionis capable of performing certain further processing functions such asthe computation of the difference between the time a cassette was madeavailable for transcription and the time it was actually assigned out toa transcriptionist; the difference between the time a cassette wasassigned for transcription and the time the transcription of thedictation recorded on the cassette was completed; a listing of alldictation originating from a selected dictate station or individual; alisting of all dictation assigned to a particular transcriptionist; thetotal length of dictation originating from a selected plurality ofdictate stations associated with a particular department; the totallength of dictation transcribed by a transcriptionist; and a signal fromthe cassette recorder indicating that a cassette recorder has recordedon all of the available cassettes and that reloading of the dictationrecorder is necessary before further dictation may be recorded. Theprocessed information described above is available for visualpresentation either on a video display or by printing on a printer inthe conventional manner.

The sequence of operations by which the programmed microprocessorperforms the desired functions is illustrated in FIG. 12. A startfunction 1301 is the first function which the conventionalmicroprocessor is programmed to perform. The microprocessor thenperforms a polling function in an idling mode of operation 1302. Theidling mode of operation 1302 causes the microprocessor to poll itsinputs for information provided from the recorders 22a, 22b, . . . 22m,22n and the ACS 21 or telephone interface 33 upon the loss of seizure ofa recorder or the substitution of a cassette as has been describedabove. Additionally, the microprocessor polls the real time clock 31,the cassette reader 29 and the keyboard 30 for inputs.

Upon receipt of an input 1303 from the keyboard 30, the microprocessorfurther processes the information inputs and the information stored inthe master storage 25 by performing the functions 1304-1308, 1314-1317,and 1320-1322. Thus, upon the entry of keyboard input calling for thetotal dictation transcribed by a transcriptionist 1304, themicroprocessor is programmed to cause the data identifying the length ofdictation recorded on each of the cassettes completed by to a particulartranscriptionist to be summed and visually presented. The entry ofkeyboard input calling for the reset of the total dictation transcribedby a transcriptionist 1305 causes the microprocessor to start any suchsubsequent summing operation from the time of reset. The keyboard input1303 calling for setting the time 1306 causes the microprocessor to setthe real time clock 31 to the time input from the keyboard. The externalentry input 1307 causes the microprocessor to assign the external entrya serial number as has been previously described; store the externalentry; and cause the video display of the information externally enteredto be flashingly displayed. The dictate station or individual dictationlist input 1308 causes a list of the information relating to the variouspieces of dictation originating from a particular dictate station orindividual dictation to be visually presented either on a video displayor by printing on a printer. Similarly, the transcriptionist list input1309 causes a list of the information relating to the various pieces ofdictation assigned to a particular transcriptionist for transcription tobe visually presented either on a video display or by printing on aprinter.

The conventional microprocessor may also be programmed to shiftinformation related to various projects to different preselectedaddresses in the master storage 25 according to their status. Thus, thepriority input 1315 causes the information relating to a selectedproject to which a priority status has been assigned to be shifted to apriority address in the master storage 25 where it will be visuallypresented before other earlier, but non-priority, projects. The assignout input 1316 causes the status symbol associated with the project tobe displayed as an "A"; the information related to the assigned projectto be shifted to a section of the master storage 25 reserved forprojects assigned out; and causes the printer to print the projectinformation relating to the assigned project and the difference in timebetween the initial entry of the project into the system and the timeassigned out to a transcriptionist. The work complete entry 1317 causesthe status symbol associated with the project to be displayed as a "C";the information related to the completed project to be shifted to asection of the master storage 25 reserved for completed projects; to addthe length of the project to the totals for the length of dictationtranscribed by a particular transcriptionist and the length of dictationoriginating from a department; and to print the information related tothe project on a printer along with the difference in time between thetime assigned to the transcriptionist and the time completed by thetranscriptionist. It will be understood by those skilled in the art thatall of the projects about which information is stored in the masterstorage 25 cannot be displayed at the same time on the video display.Therefore, different "pages" of information are displayed separately.The display reset 1314 causes the display to return to the page at whichthe information related to unassigned projects is first displayed.

As has been described above, the total lengths of dictation transcribedby a particular transcriptionist as well as the total length ofdictation originating from a given department are also displayed.Additionally, a summary of all of the transcriptionist totals isdisplayed in response to the T summary input 1320. Similarly, a summaryof all of the department totals is displayed in response to the Dsummary input 1321. The D summary reset input 1322 resets the departmenttotals to zero.

In addition to the functional inputs entered from the keyboard inputs1303, the real time clock 31 provides a real time clock input 1310 tothe microprocessor. The real time clock input 1310 provides a videodisplay of the date and time; a date and time input to the masterstorage 25; and an input to the length of dictation counter 304associated with each of the recorders on which dictation is beingrecorded.

As will be more fully described below, the microprocessor should also beprogrammed to be responsive to the input 1311 of the cassette reader 29.The cassette reader 29 provides a digital input 1311 identifying theserial number of the cassette which has been inserted into the cassettereader. Upon the input 1311 of this serial number, the microprocessorshould be programmed to cause the information in the master storage 25relating to the identified cassette to be visually presented either by aflashing video display or by printing either on a conventional printeror a label printer.

The microprocessor must also be programmed to process the digitalinformation identifying either the dictate station or the personrecording the dictation which may be provided from either the ACS 21 orthe telephone interface multiplexer 33. The input 1313 may also causethe microprocessor to perform the function of temporarily storing thedictate station or dictator identification number until that number isto be stored in the master storage along with the recorder number uponloss of seizure or cassette substitution.

The input of recorder data 1312 also causes a plurality of functions tobe performed by the microprocessor. Initially, a cassette dictationrecorder may provide a signal when the cassettes loaded in the recorderare all full and the recorder must be reloaded. In response to thereload signal 1318, the microprocessor should be programmed to cause aspecial reload message to be displayed on the video display along withthe identification number of the recorder which must be reloaded.

Another recorder input is the cassette eject input 1319. Upon receipt ofthe cassette eject input, the microprocessor should be programmed torecord the information relating to the last piece of dictation on thecassette at the end of the cassette. Then the microprocessor shouldcause the cassette to be ejected from the recorder.

A third input which may be received by the microprocessor from arecorder is the loss of seizure input 1323 indicating that a dictatestation or telephone interface has lost its seizure of a particularrecorder. Upon the receipt of the loss of seizure input 1323, themicroprocessor should be programmed to assign a serial number to thecassette if the input 1323 is the first dictation entry on the cassette.Once a serial number has been assigned the cassette, the informationrelating to the dictation which has just ended must be stored in themaster storage 25. The information should include the dictatoridentification number of the dictate station or the person dictating,the recorder number, the serial number of the cassette, the length ofdictation and the real time of loss of seizure. Third, themicroprocessor should provide a reset input to the length of dictationcounter 304 in the recorder on which the dictation was recorded.

It will now be understood to those skilled in the art that a secondalternative embodiment of the present invention may include aconventional programmed multiprocessor, programmed to perform thefunctions described above and illustrated by the flow diagram in FIG.12. Moreover, it will be understood that the inputs to themicroprocessor are from the digital devices associated with the othercomponents of the central control system described herein and that theoutputs are a conventional storage memory, video display and printer.

IV. RECORDING DICTATION IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION ON A CASSETTE

In addition to storing the information relating to a project as either apriority project or a project to be completed in due course in themaster storage 25a, the preferred embodiment also provides a means ofrecording this information on the cassette upon which the dictation wasrecorded. As has been described above, one of the disadvantages of acassette recorder dictation system is that the cassettes cannot beeasily identified. The recording of this information and the provisionof a means for playing back this information without having to play backthe entire cassette provides a means for identifying the cassettes.

In order to understand the apparatus by which and the method in whichthe information is recorded on the cassette at the end of the dictation,it is necessary that they first be broadly described. At the end of thelast piece of dictation on the cassette, or in any event, prior to theejection of a cassette from the recorder, the preferred embodiment willcause digital signals containing the information as to the serial numberof the cassette, the time the cassette was ejected, the identificationnumber of the person dictating or of the dictate station, the recordernumber, and the length of the dictation to be recorded on the end of thetape following the dictation. In the preferred embodiment, a centralsupervisor station is provided which includes a display 26, and acassette reader 29. The cassette reader 29 in the preferred embodimentoperates by playing back that portion of the tape upon which the digitalinformation has been recorded. Once this information has been playedback on the cassette reader 29, those lines of information in the masterstorage 25a corresponding to the identified cassette which are displayedon the display 26 will be caused to be flashingly displayed therebyidentifying the cassette which has been inserted into the cassettereader 29. Additionally, a label printer 28 may operate to print a labelin response to the digital signals played back on the cassette reader29. This label may then be physically attached to the cassette in orderto facilitate later identification.

The primary advantage of this feature is that the cassette need not berewound, played back and rewound again to attempt to identify thecassette by the sound of the voice of the person who was dictating orthe subject of the dictation. Instead, positive identification isprovided merely inserting the cassette into the cassette reader 29.

In order to manufacture the preferred embodiment of the cassette reader29 from parts which are generally available and to minimize the degreeof modification which must be made in the cassette reader 29, thedigital information recorded on the end of the tape following thedictation must be recorded in reverse order from the order it will beplayed back. As is shown in FIG. 8, the direction of tape movement pastthe magnetic head 802 in a recorder is from right to left. Similarly, ona tape playback machine the direction of tape movement during theplayback operation is usually also from right to left. In the preferredembodiment of the present invention, it will be desired to read back thedigital information recorded on the tape at the end of the dictation byturning the cassette over to the side opposite the side on which thedictation had originally been recorded before inserting it into theplayback machine. Ordinarily, the effect of turning the cassette overwould be to cause the playback machine to play back anything recorded ona track T2 opposite the track T1 on which the dictation and the digitalinformation have been recorded. However, in the preferred embodiment amodification of the playback machine is made and the magnetic head isdisplaced from its ordinary position to a position in which it will playback signals recorded on the track T1. Since the cassette has beeninverted, the first material which will be encountered in playing backthe cassette will be that material which was last to be recorded. Theinformation last to be recorded is the digital information identifyingthe cassette. Moreover, this digital information will be played back inreverse order from the order in which it was recorded. Thus, it will benecessary to initially record the digital signals in reverse order sothat when played back backwards from the order in which they wereinitially recorded, they will be played back in the proper order.

It will now be understood by those skilled in the art that the preferredembodiment of the present invention will provide a means whereby acassette may be identified by reference to digital signals recorded atthe end of the dictation. This result is achieved by inverting thecassette and inserting it into a cassette recorder adapted to play backthe material on the inverted track. Additionally, when the invertedcassette is played back the first recording to be played back will bethe last recording which was recorded. Thus, the digital signalsrecorded at the end of the dictation will be played back immediately andbefore the dictation is played back. Finally, since the digitalinformation has been recorded in reverse order, playing it back in whatis effectively the reverse direction from the direction in which it wasoriginally recorded will cause the digital signals to be played back inthe proper order.

The means for recording the digital information on the tape at the endof the dictation will now be described. As is shown in FIG. 9, amultiplexer data selector 801 is provided with an input from the lengthof dictation counter 304n, the data selector 350 providing the dictatestation number and the encoder 351 providing the recorder number, a timein multiple bit latch 606 (shown in FIG. 7), and the serial numbercounter 604. The multiplexer 801 functions to arrange these inputs inthe order in which they will be recorded on the tape. Since the order inwhich they will be recorded on the tape is the reverse order from thatin which they will be played back and ultimately visually displayed andprinted on a label, the multiplexer first passes the digital signal fromthe length of dictation counter 304n, and then sequentially passes therecorder number from the encoder 351, the dictate station number fromthe data selector 350, the time the dictation was placed in the systemreal time multiple bit latch 606 and the serial number of the cassettefrom the serial number counter 604. The rate of operation of themultiplexer 801 is established by a counter 805 which is responsive to aclock input and to the output of an OR gate 825. The inputs to the ORgate 825 are provided by the lines 505n and 209n. From the descriptionof the conditions which provide an output on lines 505n and 209 which isset forth above, it will be understood that the OR gate 825 will providean output upon cassette substitution either after loss of seizure orwithout loss of seizure. Thus, the multiplexer 801 will provide data tobe recorded at the end of each cassette before the cassette is ejectedand regardless of whether a piece of dictation has been completed.Additionally, an input signal is provided on each cassette substitutionfrom the OR gate 208n on line 207n in order provide the data input fromthe data selector 350, the encoder 351, and the real time multiple bitlatch 606. The multiplexer 801 sequentially passes the digitalinformation one byte at a time and in reverse order to the shiftregister 807.

The shift register 807 then serially clocks the bits of information tothe NAND gate input 815 and, through an inverter 816, to the NAND gateinput 817. The NAND gate 815 also has an input from a "1" timingmonostable which is clocked at the same rate that the bits of digitalinformation are clocked out of the shift register 807. Similarly, a "0"timing monostable provides an input to the NAND gate 817. It will beunderstood by those skilled in the art that a timing monostable deviceprovides an output for only a predetermined period of time upon beingclocked. As will be more fully described, below, the predeterminedoutput period for the "1" timing monostable device 818 must be shorterthan the predetermined output period for the "0" timing monostabledevice 819.

When the shift register 807 shifts out a bit corresponding to a logicalzero, a zero input is provided to the NAND gate 815 causing it tomaintain a logical one output despite the input from the "1" timingmonostable 818. A zero output from the shift register 807 will, however,be inverted by the inverter 816 to provide a one input to the NAND gate817. Thus, when the "0" timing monostable 819 provides an output ofpredetermined period the NAND gate 817 will provide a zero to the ANDgate 820 for the period of the output of the "0" timing monostable 818.

When the shift register 807 shifts out a bit corresponding to a logicalone, a one input is provided at the NAND gate 815 so that when the "1"timing monostable 818 provides an input for its predetermined period oftime the NAND gate 815 will provide a zero to the AND gate 820 for theperiod of the "1" timing monostable 818. However, the logical one fromthe shift register 807 is inverted to a zero by the inverter 816 andtherefore the NAND gate 817 will provide a continuing one output despitethe input from the "0" timing monostable 819. It will now be understoodby those skilled in the art that the AND gate 820 will maintain alogical one output unless interrupted for the period of the "1" timingmonostable 818 when a logical one is shifted out of the shift register807 or interrupted for the period of the "1" timing monostable 819 whena logical zero is shifted out of the shift register 807.

The signals from the AND gate 820 are superimposed upon an oscillatorsignal from an oscillator 812 at the AND gate 808 when the timer 810provides an input indicating that the cassette ejection signal has beengenerated and only a predetermined period of time will be allowed duringwhich to record the digital information on the end of the tape. Theoutput of the timer 810 also provides a timed control signal to therecorder to cause the recorder to operate in the record mode ofoperation for the period required to record the digital information onthe tape. Additionally, the timer 810 delays the eject signal bygenerating a timed output which is inverted by the inverter 809 toobtain a timed delay in the transfer of the eject signal through the ANDgate 811 to the recorder by which the dictation was recorded, forexample a recorder n.

The output from the AND gate 808 provides an oscillator signal to therecording head 802n at the recorder n. The recorder n then records thedigital information as gaps in the oscillator tone, a digital one beinga shorter gap and a digital zero being a longer gap.

The eject circuit is also modified by placing an AND gate 811 betweenthe generation of the eject signal and the control mechanism of therecorder which causes the cassette to be ejected. The other input to theAND gate 811 is provided by a timer 840 which is set in response to theinitial generation of the eject signal. The timer 840 will not providean output for a period sufficient to permit all of the necessary data tobe recorded as digital signals on the tape following the last dictation.Once this period has elapsed, however, the timer 840 provides an outputto the AND gate 811 thereby providing an eject signal to the controlmechanism within the recorder which causes the tape cassette to beejected.

As has been described above, a cassette reader 29 is provided at thesupervisor station in the preferred embodiment of the present invention.The purpose of the cassette reader 29 is to play back the informationrecorded on the end of the cassette following the dictation in order toidentify the cassette so that they may be properly labeled and set asidefor later transcription. The cassette 810 is inverted and inserted intothe cassette recorder having a displaced playback head 803, as shown inFIG. 8B. The insertion of the cassette into the cassette reader 29causes the motor of the cassette reader to move the tape past thedisplaced playback head 803 of the cassette reader 29. As the cassette810 is played back in effectively the reverse direction from thedirection in which it was recorded, the last digital signals recordedwill be the first digital signals to be played back. As has also beendescribed, the digital signals have been superimposed upon a carrier forrecording on the tape following the dictation. As is shown in FIG. 10,the carrier is detected when played back and amplified by a detector andamplifier 901. The detection of the carrier by the amplifier anddetector 901 provides an input to an edge trigger timing generator 904.Additionally, the output from the amplifier and detector 901 provides aninput to a shift register 903. As will be described below, the length ofthe shift register 903 is sixteen bits in order to accommodate all ofthe digital information necessary to identify the cassette. In additionto having an input from the detector and amplifier 901, the clock inputof the shift register 903 is provided by the output of the edge triggertiming generator 904. The period of the timing generator 904 is selectedto be longer than the period of the gap associated with a digital oneand shorter than the period of the gap associated with a digital zero.Thus, the shift register 903 will sample the input from the amplifierand detector 901 periodically and, if a carrier is detected, then theperiod of the gap in the carrier has been shorter than the period of theclocking generator 904 and a digital one is entered in the shiftregister 903. Similarly, if at the end of the timing period of thetiming generator 904 a carrier is not detected, then the period of thegap in the carrier was longer than the timing period of timing generator904 and a digital zero will be entered in the shift register 903.

As will be more fully described, the only information which the readerin the preferred embodiment of the present invention must receive isthat information relating to the serial number of the cassette. Thus,the reader is also provided with a counter 905 which will count theplayback of the first sixteen bits of information from the tape 810.Upon receipt of the necessary sixteen bits of digital information whichcontain the serial number of the cassette, the counter provides anoutput to the reader 29 which causes the cassette to be ejected from thereader.

As is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the master storage 25 is operativelyconnected with a display 26 and a label printer 28. The display 26 maybe an ordinary cathode ray tube. As is shown in FIG. 11, the display 26is operatively connected to the master storage through a conventionalCRT driver 1201. The CRT driver 1201 includes conventional digitalcharacter generator responsive to the digital output of the masterstorage 25 for providing a visual display of the digital information onthe display 26. The portion of the master storage 25 displayed on theCRT is determined by the address provided by a direct memory access(DMA) 1203. As is shown more clearly in FIG. 7, the direct memory accessprovides the master storages 25a, 25b, 25c and 25d with address, read,and enable signals which permit the output to drive the CRT driver 1201and present the digital information visually on display 26. The addresssignals are provided at the line 695 which is the input to the constantadder 604 for master storage 25a, and directly to the address inputs ofthe master storages 25b, 25c, and 25d. The DMA 1204 provides a "read"signal through the OR gate 675 to the master storage 25a, and directlyto the write/read inputs of the master storages 25b, 25c, and 25d. TheDMA 1209 provides an enable input to the master storage 25a through theOR gate 601, the master storage 25b through the OR gate 605, the masterstorage 25c through the OR gate 607, and the master storage 25d throughthe OR gate 606.

The display 26 also provides a visual identification of cassettes whichare inserted into the cassette reader 29. As has been described above,the serial number of the cassette upon which dictation has been recordedis itself recorded as digital information on the tape in the cassettefollowing the dictation. The cassette reader 29 reads the digitalinformation and provides a digital output of the serial number. Theserial number of the cassette read by the cassette reader 29 is thenprovided to a digital comparator 1206 which compares the serial numberof the cassette with the serial number of the projects presently beingdisplayed by the display 26. When the serial numbers of the cassette inthe cassette reader coincides with the serial numbers of the projectsbeing shown on the display 26 by the master storage 25, the comparator1206 provides an output to an oscillator 1207. The oscillator 1207 thenprovides a flasher input to the CRT driver 1201. Thus, the CRT driver1201 will cause the display of the information corresponding to thecassette in the cassette reader 29 to flash when it is read by the CRTdriver 1201.

In addition to identifying the cassette in the cassette reader 29, thepreferred embodiment also has a label printer 28 which will print alabel for the cassette which will identify the cassette and provide thestored information relating to the cassette, such as the serial numberof the cassette, the identification of the individual dictating or thedictate station, the recorder upon which the dictation was recorded, thelength of the dictation, and the time the dictation was finished. Thelabel printer 28 is also operative in response to an output from thecomparator 1206. As has been described above, an output will be providedby the comparator 1206 when the digital information being read from themaster storage 25 by the CRT driver 1201 is the digital informationrelating to the cassette in the cassette reader 29. Thus, the comparator1206 enables the label printer 28 to also read the information at thataddress from the master storage 25 at the same time that the CRT driver1201 is also reading the information from the master storage 25. As thedigital signals carrying information relating to the cassette in thecassette reader pass from the master storage 25, they are accumulated ina buffer 1208. The buffer 1208 temporarily stores the digitalinformation until it can be provided to the label printer 28. The labelprinter 28 is a printer of conventional design which prints in responseto digital signals. The labels provided by the label printer 28 may bebacked with adhesive so that they may be easily applied to the cassette.

VI. EXTERNAL ENTRY OF PROJECT INFORMATION

In addition to the input of project information into the master storage25 from the dictate stations and recorders in the dictation system, thepreferred embodiment also has the capability of tracking projects notinitiated within the dictation system. The information relating to theseprojects is input manually through a keyboard into the apparatus whereit is processed, and stored in the master storage where it is availablefor further revision, visual presentation, or printout. The entry ofinformation into the apparatus is initiated by the operation of anexternal entry key 30d on the keyboard. As is shown in FIG. 6, theoperation of the key 30d provides an external entry input to the OR gate501. The output from the OR gate 501 causes the counter 506 to assign aserial number to the project. This serial number is combined with an "o"unit count and the constant "p" to provide an address for informationrelated to the externally entered project in the master storages 25a.The serial number itself provides an address for the master storages25b-d. As is shown in FIG. 7, the external entry also provides an inputto the OR gate 601. The OR gate 601 provides an enable signal to themaster storage 25a enabling it to write the information which is to beinput. Inasmuch as the master storage has not been enabled to write bythe termination of seizure or substitution of a cassette without loss ofseizure by a particular recorder, the ordinary inputs into the masterstorage from the recorders are not present. Thus, such inputs as thedictation must be entered manually. This information is manually enteredthrough the keyboard 30 by the dictate number input key 30g, therecorder number input key 30n, and the length of project input key 30j,and the length of project input key 30j to the appropriate places in thesequence in the master storage 25a. As has been described above, themaster storage 25a has an input from the real time clock 31 and providesthe time in for the project when enabled to "write" the data at itsinput into storage. The project information entered through theoperation of the external entry key 30d may also be assigned priority orsupplemented in the ordinary manner as has been described above inconnection with the structure and operation of the master storage 25b,25c, and 25d as the project is assigned and completed. In this manner,the information provided through the external entry may be tracked inthe same manner as information generated from within the dictationsystem itself, as has been described above.

The external entry information entered in the dictate stationidentification number location generally should identify the individualfrom whom the project came. The information entered in the recordernumber sequence should generally indicate that the information at thataddress is information which has been externally entered and notinformation which relates to dictation recorded on any other recorders.Finally, the length of the project entered externally may be estimatedby the operator. This information makes the dictation system includingthe preferred embodiment of the present invention compatible with anduseful for the tracking of a variety of diverse projects unrelated tothe operation of the dictation system itself. For example, hand writtenor typed material which is to be typed or retyped may be entered into apreferred embodiment of the present invention and processed and trackedas if it were a project which had entered through recording by one ofthe recorders in a dictation system.

VII. DATA PRINTER

In addition to the display of the information in the master storage 25by the display 25, the information may also be printed on a printer 27.The enable and data inputs to the printer 27 are essentially the same asthe inputs to the master storage 25 upon loss of seizure of a recorder,cassette substitution or keyboard entries to supplement projectinformation; however, the printer 27 does not store the information, butcauses the information to be printed by a conventional printer capableof printing in response to digital information.

The foregoing has been a description of the structure and operation ofalternative illustrative embodiments of the present invention directedtoward use in a dictation system. As has been stated at the outset, thepresent invention is not limited to use in a dictation system, butgenerally has utility for tracking diverse projects of varying lengthand complexity in a system in which the projects are not generatedsimultaneously or completed simultaneously. The foregoing descriptionhas been merely illustrative, and the present invention is limitedsolely by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. In a recording system having a first dictatestation, a second dictate station, a first recorder having one of aplurality of recording media for the recording of dictation when saidfirst recorder is in a recording mode of operation, a second recorderhaving another of said plurality of recording media for the recording ofdictation when said second recorder is in a recording mode of operation,said plurality of recording media being selectively interchangeablebetween said first recorder and said second recorder, and connectingmeans for selectively and operatively connecting said first dictatestation and said second dictate station to said first recorder or saidsecond recorder for the recording of dictation:first signal means forselectively providing one of a plurality of first signals in response tosaid connecting means being operative, said plurality of first signalsincluding a first signal having a first predetermined characteristicwhich is in response to said connecting means operatively connectingsaid first dictate station to said first recorder, a first signal havinga second predetermined characteristic which is in response to saidconnecting means operatively connecting said first dictate station tosaid second recorder, a first signal having a third predeterminedcharacteristic which is in response to said connecting means operativelyconnecting said second dictate station to said first recorder, and afirst signal having a fourth predetermined characteristic which is inresponse to said connecting means operatively connecting said seconddictate station to said second recorder; second signal means selectivelyoperative in response to said recording mode of operation of said firstrecorder and said recording mode of operation of said second recorderwhile said connecting means is operative for providing a second signalhaving a characteristic determined by the duration of said recordingmode to which said second signal means is responsive; third signal meansresponsive to said connecting means becoming inoperative for providing athird signal having a characteristic determined by the time ofoccurrence of said third signal relative to a predetermined standard;and recording means selectively responsive to said first signal havingsaid first predetermined characteristic and said first signal havingsaid third predetermined characteristic, when said connecting meansbecomes inoperative, for recording said first signal to which it isresponsive, said second signal, and said third signal on said one ofsaid plurality of recording media, said recording means beingalternately and selectively responsive to said first signal having saidsecond predetermined characteristic and said first signal having saidfourth predetermined characteristic, when said connecting means becomesinoperative, for recording said first signal to which it is responsive,said second signal, and said third signal on said another of saidplurality of recording media.
 2. In a recording system having a firstdictate station, a second dictate station, a first recorder having oneof a plurality of recording media for the recording of dictation whensaid first recorder is in a recording mode of operation, a secondrecorder having another of said plurality of recording media for therecording of dictation when said second recorder is in a recording modeof operation, said plurality of recording media being selectivelyinterchangeable between said first recorder and said second recorder,and connecting means for selectively and operatively connecting saidfirst dictate station and said second dictate station to said firstrecorder or said second recorder for the recording of dictation:firstsignal means for selectively providing one of a plurality of firstsignals in response to said connecting means being operative, saidplurality of first signals including a first signal having a firstcharacteristic which is in response to said connecting means operativelyconnecting said first dictate station to said first recorder, a firstsignal having a second characteristic which is in response to saidconnecting means operatively connecting said first dictate station tosaid second recorder, a first signal having a third characteristic whichis in response to said connecting means operatively connecting saidsecond dictate station to said first recorder, and a first signal havinga fourth characteristic which is in response to said connecting meansoperatively connecting said second dictate station to said secondrecorder; second signal means selectively operative in response to saidrecording mode of operation of said first recorder and said recordingmode of operation of said second recorder while said connecting means isoperative for providing a second signal having a characteristicdetermined by the duration of said recording mode to which said secondsignal means is responsive; third signal means responsive to saidconnecting means becoming inoperative for providing a third signalhaving a characteristic determined by the time of occurrence of saidthird signal relative to a predetermined standard; first recording meansselectively responsive to said first signal having said firstcharacteristic and said first signal having said third characteristic,when said connecting means becomes inoperative, for recording said firstsignal to which it is responsive, said second signal, and said thirdsignal on said one of said plurality of recording media, said recordingmeans being alternately and selectively responsive to said first signalhaving said second characteristic and said first signal having saidfourth characteristic, when said connecting means becomes inoperative,for recording said first signal to which it is responsive, said secondsignal, and said third signal on said another of said plurality ofrecording media; and second recording means responsive to saidconnecting means becoming inoperative for recording on a recordingmedium, other than said one of said plurality of recording media andsaid another of said plurality of recording media, said first signal,said second signal, and said third signal recorded by said firstrecording means.
 3. The recording system of claim 2 including:displaymeans responsive to said first signal, said second signal, and saidthird signal recorded by said second recording means for providing adisplay corresponding to said first signal, said second signal, and saidthird signal.
 4. The recording system of claim 3 including:fifth signalmeans manually operable to provide a fifth signal having acharacteristic determined by the time of occurrence of said fifth signalrelative to said predetermined standard.